We did the Viking River Cruise in China in late October and early November. It rained quite a bit of the time but that in no way dampened our enthusiasm for the trip or the way we were treated by the wonderful guide staff and crew.

First and foremost, thanks to "Larry", our expert guide, there was never a moment of concern or anxiety in what could have been a rather stressful environment. We were met at the airport in Beijing by Viking staff and within minutes found ourselves being wisked away to our hotel. Our group of about 25 were introduced to Larry the next morning and he watched over us for the remainder of the trip, even supplying us with his personal cell phone number just in case we ever needed assistance when he was not within earshot. Larry was remarkably well informed, spoke flawless English, was endlessly patient, and answered any and all questions with candor and good humor. My impression was that people in other groups on the tour were similarly impressed with their guides. Viking seems to have their act in China down to a science and has hired an exceptional group of people to serve as guides.

The hotels in Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai were spectacular. The service was excellent and the huge assortment of food at the breakfast buffets was beautifully prepared and presented. Read more